GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms in endometriosis in women from Goiás, Brazil.

Endometriosis is a gynecologic pathology with a high prevalence and unknown etiology. Therefore, an increasing number of studies has been undertaken to search for associations between endometriosis and alterations or polymorphisms in candidate genes, including glutathione S-transferase mu 1 (GSTM1) and glutathione S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1). We analyzed the frequency of present/absent polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 in 50 women diagnosed with endometriosis and in a control group of 46 women without complaints related to this pathology. The association of these polymorphisms with p53 gene codon 72 was also evaluated within each group, and a higher frequency of absence of GSTM1 (61%) and GSTT1 (45%) genes in the group of women studied, women with endometriosis and control group was found. The contributions of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms to the proliferation of endometriosis were not statistically significant, but the analysis of pathology and the association of GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene polymorphisms with p53 codon 72 revealed statistical significance.

Polymorphism of the progesterone receptor gene associated with endometriosis in patients from Goiás, Brazil.

We investigated a possible link between endometriosis and polymorphism of the progesterone receptor gene (PROGINS). The endometriosis group consisted of 54 patients with a diagnosis of endometriosis by laparoscopy, and the control group comprised 44 women without endometriosis. Genotypes for PROGINS polymorphisms (A1/A1, A1/A2 and A2/A2) were determined by polymerase chain reaction and analyzed on a 2% agarose gel stained with ethidium bromide. The frequency of polymorphic genotypes (A1/A2 and A2/A2) was significantly higher in patients with endometriosis (33%) than in the control group (16%). We conclude that there is a significant correlation between PROGINS polymorphism and endometriosis.

RsaI polymorphism of the ERß gene in women with endometriosis.

We examined the frequency of RsaI polymorphism of the ERß gene in 54 patients diagnosed with endometriosis and 46 controls. Peripheral blood was collected from women undergoing laparoscopy with a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis. Polymorphisms of the ERß gene and p53 were assessed by PCR and analyzed on 2% agarose gel stained with ethidium bromide. The AG polymorphism genotype frequency in patients with endometriosis was 59.3%, with 40.7% GG. In the control group, the frequency of AG was 6.5%, with 93.5% GG. The frequency of heterozygous AG was nine times higher in patients with endometriosis than in the control group (P < 0.0001).

Y chromosome microdeletions in Brazilian fertility clinic patients.

Microdeletions in Yq are associated with defects in spermatogenesis, while those in the AZF region are considered critical for germ cell development. We examined microdeletions in the Y chromosomes of patients attended at the Laboratory of Human Reproduction of the Clinical Hospital of the Federal University of Goiás as part of a screening of patients who plan to undergo assisted reproduction. Analysis was made of the AZF region of the Y chromosome in men who had altered spermograms to detect possible microdeletions in Yq. Twenty-three patients with azoospermia and 40 with severe oligozoospermia were analyzed by PCR for the detection of six sequence-tagged sites: sY84 and sY86 for AZFa, sY127 and sY134 for AZFb, and sY254 and sY255 for AZFc. Microdeletions were detected in 28 patients, including 10 azoospermics and 18 severe oligozoospermics. The patients with azoospermia had 43.4% of their microdeletions in the AZFa region, 8.6% in the AZFb region and 17.4% in the AZFc region. In the severe oligozoospermics, 40% were in the AZFa region, 5% in the AZFb region and 5% in the AZFc region. We conclude that microdeletions can be the cause of idiopathic male infertility, supporting conclusions from previous studies.